Chicago Bound
by Manny101
Summary: Logan has been selected to enter a national competition.  The only thing is, he'll have to be away from his white Knight while he's gone.  Kendall, however, has other ideas - a plan!  Rated M for a bit of sexual imagery and slight adult language.
1. The Problem

**Author's Note: **Hello everyone! Just to make sure that you all haven't forgotten about me, here's a little something that was inspired by a competition that a good friend of mine had the privilege to attend this year in Chicago. I thought that it was cool and it would probably be something that Logan Mitchell would be interested in.

As usual, you won't "see" me again until the end of this Kogan journey. I hope you will honor me and take this short ride with me through the characters. Thanks in advance. You guys are great!

**Chicago Bound**

"Really? Chicago?" Logan was excited. He knew he was smart, but this! He'd never been entered into any kind of contest or competition for his work before. He'd come close once with his extemporaneous speech on what it was like to be "Young & Famous". He wasn't sure about that from the start, though. He'd felt that it was more of a gossip piece that _**E!**_ would do on one of their network's shows. This, however, was different. A win here would showcase his thinking abilities and prove to the world that even pop stars had brains and actually did do homework and science projects just like everyone else. _Winner of the Rube Goldberg Machine Competition. That has a nice ring to it!_

The arm that had been draped casually around Logan's shoulder tightened on him. A beaming Kendall looked at Logan with happy eyes, his heart swollen with pride. He knew that this was going to be fun for his sweetheart and couldn't contain himself. He let his other arm wrap itself around Logan and brought him in for a tight hug, Kendall's lips and nose snuggling against the soft warmth of his best friend's neck. He breathed in deeply taking in Logan's essence.

"That's so great, Logie! I _knew_ that your super brain would come in handy for more than just getting us out of jams. Congrats, Bro!" Kendall exclaimed, his lips tickling Logan's neck as he spoke.

Kelly watched the pair for a few seconds before continuing with her announcement. She knew how important those moments of "closeness" were for the boys and didn't want to take that away from them. It was still a well-kept secret that two of the members of Big Time Rush were more than just friends. Unfortunately, it would have to remain that way until they stepped up to the next level of fame. Maybe then, the group could announce the true nature of Kendall and Logan's relationship without putting the band in jeopardy. Ricky Martin had done it and his record sales went through the roof after he came out. Hopefully, lightning would strike twice. She cleared her throat to get their attention.

Both boys were in their "zone". When they entered it, nothing even mattered. Everything else tended to fall away and disappear as their eyes could only focus on each other. However, it was scary at times when they hadn't been paying attention to the world around them and someone had almost caught them doing more than just friendly things with each other. In the safety and privacy of Kelly's office, however, they knew they were safe from prying eyes and ears. Had Kelly not been there, they could have held each other forever.

"Sorry, Kelly," Kendall mumbled, disappointed that he had to let his boyfriend go. He looked sheepishly at her realizing that he and Logan had just stood in front of her in each other's arms for who knows how long. Time seemed irrelevant when they were together and it showed on both of the young lovers' oblivious faces.

"Now, here's the itinerary for your trip." She handed Logan a folder containing competition-related paperwork and airplane ticket. "I think that Gustavo is going to send Freight Train with you just to make sure that no one goes nutso on you, though the Prosser Academy assures me that they have enough security. You leave on Thursday and don't come back until Saturday. Of course, we expect you to do well and that you'll keep up with your Big Time Rush responsibilities as well."

"Big Time Rush stuff?" Logan looked in the folder and took out his itinerary and scowled. "It says here that I have a record store appearance, a talk show segment, and four radio station interviews with a photo shoot! I mean, not to be ungrateful to Gustavo for letting me go and compete, but sheesh! I kinda wanted to focus on my academic studies and not the band for a few days."

Kendall took the folder from Logan and looked through it, disappointed. "Kelly, where's my ticket to Chicago?"

"Well, um, we sorta decided that you weren't going. This is Logan's engineering project and that's why we're sending him solo."

The boys exchanged worried glances. Neither of them had thought about being apart. It never crossed their minds when they were together almost all day, everyday. They took their proximity to each other for granted. Even when they weren't in the same room together, they knew that the other was close in case the other needed him. But, Chicago? That might as well have been on another planet as far as they were concerned. Instinctively, Logan placed his hand in Kendall's, holding it. He needed his blonde knight in shining armor to protect him, to console him, to fix this.

"Kelly! But I want to go with – ," Kelly held up her hand, interrupting Kendall in mid sentence.

"I know what you're going to say because I argued with Gustavo about it already. I thought that he should send you, too, but he needs you, James, and Carlos to stay here and work on your dance and singing routines for your upcoming tour. Logan will work privately and intensely with Mr. X when he returns so he can catch up. I tried." Kelly gave Kendall a sympathetic look. "I really tried."

Kendall, however, had other plans. Though Kelly and Logan were talking to him, his mind was already at work formulating a plan that would allow him and Logan to be together. His expression must've changed since Kelly stopped talking and focused on the taller boy.

"Uh, Kendall? Are you listening to me?"

Kendall snapped out of his planning. "Oh, sorry. I must have been daydreaming or something," he said acting sheepish.

Kelly narrowed her eyes, concern and suspicion on her face. "Okay, well then – Wait! Please tell me you're not going to try and do something!"

Kendall put on his best innocent, angelic face. "Who? Me? Never, Kelly. You should know me by now." Behind his back, Kendall had crossed his fingers, hiding them from both Kelly and Logan.

"I do! That's why I'm getting a sickly feeling in the pit of my stomach. I swear, Kendall Knight, if you even think of trying something – "

"Kelly! It'll be okay." Kendall placed a hand on each of Kelly's shoulders and turned her around to face the door. "Now you just go tell Gustavo that everything will be alright. He has nothing to worry about." He gave her a gentle push, shooing her out the door. "Have I ever let you down?" He smiled at her as he closed the door, not allowing her to answer.

A stunned Kelly stared at the closed door while she stood in the hallway. She mumbled to herself, "It's _my_ office, you know. Talkin' 'bout 'everything's gonna be alright' and stuff." She continued to mutter to herself as she made her way to her boss' office down the hall. "I don't wanna know. I just don't wanna know."

After she was gone, Kendall turned to Logan. "Come here," he commanded, a grin on his face. Logan walked towards him and let the taller boy put his arms around him pulling him close.

"I know that look, Kendall. What are you planning?"

"Planning? I'm planning this…" Kendall looked down at the trusting eyes he'd come to love. Slowly, he bent his head down and gave his partner a sweet kiss. Then another deeper, more urgent kiss. Logan's knees threatened to buckle on him, Kendall's lips and probing tongue making him weak. They broke their kiss and stared into each other's eyes.

"Do you trust me, Baby?" Kendall asked, already knowing the answer.

There was nothing that Logan could do. He recognized the look on his boy's face. He could tell that there was something percolating in him. Slowly, Logan answered, "Yes. Yes, I do, Kendall, but – ".

Kendall's lips abruptly cut off his boy's sentence. This was his favorite way to make Logan stop speaking, a trick he'd learned some time ago – the kiss of silence. "Then trust me now, Sweetstuff." Kendall's dimples and crooked grin sealed the deal for Logan. He nodded his head never breaking his gaze from the blonde.

"Cool! Now, let's go to rehearsal. I have to talk to the other guys anyway. Come on!" He led Logan by the hand as they exited Kelly's office and made their way to the rehearsal hall. _Plan "Chicago Bound" is in motion! _Kendall smiled at the thought determined to make his vision of being with Logan on competition day a reality. _This is gonna to be good!_


	2. The Plan

**Chicago Bound**

Logan woke up excited. The morning of his departure had arrived and he was more nervous about this project than when he performed on stage. He supposed since this was a project he'd worked on alone, he'd have to sink or swim on his own merits, the guys were just interested bystanders. He smiled to himself in spite of the butterflies he felt in his tummy. He looked across the room and was calmed by the sight of his lovely blonde boyfriend sleeping peacefully in the bed next to his. Even in his sleep, Kendall's dimples cut through the barely lit room seeming to radiate a light of their own. Logan's heart ached for a split second at the thought of them being apart for the next few days.

Logan got up and decided to take a shower. Quietly, he walked over to Kendall's bed and bent down to give his sleeping beauty a kiss on the forehead. He left the room and entered the bathroom where he turned on the water for his shower.

After Logan had left, a "sleeping" Kendall opened one eye to make sure Logan was gone. He heard the water running in the shower and jumped up out of bed already dressed. He grabbed his cell phone and called Camille.

"Is everything a go?" Kendall's brows furrowed as he listened to her.

"And Jo and Guitar Dude?" He paused. "Great! Now just wait for my signal and deploy. Thanks, Camille." He hung up the phone and stealthily walked to Carlos and James' room. He knocked quietly.

The door opened and James gave Kendall a wink. "We're all set, Fearless Leader. Just give us the word!"

Kendall entered the room. "Did you guys substitute the box for Logan's project?"

"Yup," Carlos answered. "We repacked it in the new box last night after you and Logan went to bed."

"And we heard you guys _not sleeping_ while we worked!" James leaned into Kendall's face. "Naaaaaasstyyyyyyy!" he teased. Kendall's hands were too quick for James who felt the bandana that had adorned his head come over his eyes like a blindfold. "Hey!"

"Cool! Now when Freight Train gets here, he'll have the box loaded onto the SUV to take to the airport and we'll be halfway there. Are we all good?"

Both boys nodded their heads, smiling at their leader. Kendall gave them both a fist bump before going back to his room.

Logan found Kendall sitting on his bed already dressed. "Hey, You! Good morning. You're not going to take a shower?"

"I already had one in the other bathroom," Kendall lied. The sight of Logan in nothing but a towel wrapped low around his waist made Kendall's heart jump at the beautiful sight. His smiled turned into a lustful leer. "Come over here."

With a smile on his face, Logan rolled his eyes but went to a waiting Kendall on the bed. Kendall pulled the smaller boy onto his lap taking in the clean scent of his lover's skin. He took Logan's lips with his own, his hands roaming over the boy's smoothness.

Logan loved it when Kendall took charge of him. The feel of Kendall's hot hands on his cool, clean skin made his whole body tingle. He felt one of Kendall's hands take off the towel and one of his fingers zero in on his entrance. He broke the deep kiss and whispered into Kendall's mouth, struggling not to pant.

"Oh, Sweetheart," he sighed. "I'm still a little sore from last night. And we don't have time for…anything…that…"

Logan was distracted by the little kisses he was getting on his neck and shoulders. Kendall's insistent lips were extremely difficult to argue with. But he had to be strong. Time was not on their side. Clutching a handful of Kendall's hair, he made the blonde look into his eyes. In a sweet, sexy, deep voice he whispered, "Airport."

A confused Kendall shot the boy on his lap a perplexed look.

Chuckling, Logan explained, "I have to get to the _airport_, Kendall. Remember?"

"Awww, Baby!" Kendall groaned, disappointed. "I just wanted to, um, to – "

"Yeah, I know what you want to do!" Logan's knowing grin made Kendall inexplicably happy. "But we don't have time. Now, be a good boyfriend and let me get dressed."

Reluctantly, Kendall loosened his grip on the brunette. Logan kissed his forehead before heading to the closet they shared. He came back out with a shirt and pants still looking at the clothes to make sure they matched. Next, he went to his dresser drawer and pulled out some socks and, from a different drawer, some clean boxer briefs.

Kendall was lying on the bed watching his still naked lover walk around their room gathering his wardrobe for the day. If he didn't love this boy before, he certainly did now. Even something as simple as watching Logan get dressed made his heart swell with love and pride and gratitude to the universe that had brought the brightest spot in his life to him. As far as he was concerned, Logan was the center of his world and no one was going to force them to be apart. He sighed as he continued to watch.

Logan was aware that Kendall was watching his every move. He'd usually put on his briefs first, but he wanted to give Kendall a show before he left for Chicago. Sometimes he loved to tease the blonde, in a subtle way, of course. He couldn't resist the look of both sweetness and hunger that displayed on the taller boy's face after one of his "displays". He loved the fact that he could capture Kendall's attention, keeping him mesmerized at the sight of him. He heard Kendall give a low, guttural moan as he got out of the bed and walked over to him. Kendall came up behind the naked boy and wrapped his arms around him. Logan leaned back and put an arm around the taller boy's head. The blonde craned his neck and took Logan's mouth with his own. The spark that they felt for each other was electric. Kendall broke their kiss and turned his lover to face him. He claimed his mouth again, his tongue insisting on entrance to Logan's sweet mouth. Even if Logan wanted to, he couldn't resist. The feel of his love's skin, the scent of his unwashed body, the sight of his beautiful eyes and face always made him melt into a quivering mess.

Abruptly, they were interrupted by the sound of the front door being opened. In the next moment, they heard footsteps approaching their bedroom door. A knock followed.

Through the door, Carlos exclaimed, "Freight Train's here!"

The boys both groaned quietly, not wanting the moment they'd just shared to end. Out loud, Logan answered Carlos. "We'll be right there!" Turning to Kendall, he smiled and gave him one last lingering kiss. "We gotta go, Baby. So, you know, get out!" When Kendall started to protest, he continued. "I'll never be able to get dressed with you in here. You're too – distracting! Get out, please. Please?"

Kendall knew that what Logan was saying was true. He wouldn't be able to concentrate with the nude boy in front of him and he had to make sure that his plan was going smoothly. He slapped Logan's bottom once before he walked to the door. Before he left the room, he turned and took one last looked at the magnificence of his lover's body. He sighed and shot Logan a crooked grin. No words were necessary for them. He opened the door and stepped out. Regaining his composure, he proceeded to the living room ready to take on the challenges that he knew were ahead of him.

_I can do this. We can do this. I can do this! We can do this! _


	3. The Deployment

**Chicago Bound**

_8:46 AM. _Kendall's Spiderman walkie-talkie was hidden in his jacket's pocket. James had one, as did Camille and Guitar Dude. All four of the major players were wired for sound. The limousine pulled up to the Palmwoods and the boys immediately piled into the car and waited for the driver as he loaded Logan's luggage in the trunk. Once done, they pulled out and headed for the freeway on their way to LAX.

_9:12 AM. _Once on the highway, Kendall nodded to Carlos. The Latino took the lead, as they'd planned, and distracted Logan.

"Hey, Logan! Listen to this song! What do you think of it?" He handed Logan his ipod's headphones and played the song for him, keeping his friend's attention on him and away from his boyfriend.

Kendall whipped out his radio and spoke into it. "Dude420, this is Shining Knight. Do you copy?"

A crackling sound came from the small speaker. Then, "Whaaaa – ? Who's this?"

Kendall slapped a palm to his face, incredulous. In his peripheral vision, he could see James trying to contain his laughter. "Guitar Dude, it's me, Kendall!" He looked over at Logan who was still listening to the song. "Deploy, Dude! Deploy!"

"Huh? Oh, yeah. Right!" He heard Guitar Dude cough a few times. "Uh, copy that an' stuff!"

_9:16 AM. _The limo driver made his way to the appropriate lane he needed in order to exit to the airport. At the last minute, he watched as a van passed him and seemed to break down blocking the exit ramp. The van nearly swerved into him and the cool headed driver made a split second correction. He could hear the boys yell as the limo made the violent movement and veered back onto the freeway, missing the exit.

"Whoa!" James exclaimed. "That was close!" He looked at Kendall who was making sure Logan was alright. Putting an arm around him, he kissed the smaller boy's temple and held up two fingers, signaling James to stand by with the second phase of the plan.

James had his walkie-talkie at the ready but still made sure that Logan couldn't see it.

_9:18 AM. _As they approached the next LAX exit, Kendall "accidentally" poured the Coke he was drinking on his lap. He pointed to James. As Logan was making a fuss trying to frantically clean the dark liquid from Kendall's shirt and the limo's seat, James whispered into the small radio.

"Hot Party King to Wonder Woman. Do you copy me?"

"Wonder Woman here. We hear ya! What are your instructions?"

"Deploy, girls. Deploy!"

"Copy that! Over and out or whatever!" He heard Camille and Jo giggle before the radio went silent.

Logan stopped his cleaning and raised his head. "What was that?" he asked no one in particular. "Did I just hear Camille?"

Being prepared for this contingency per Kendall's plan, Carlos showed Logan his player. He was watching a video clip of Camille and James rehearsing a scene for one of her auditions. "Oh, sorry! I guess my headphones got unplugged from my ipod's speakers. My bad!"

Satisfied, Logan went back to work. A look of relief passed between Kendall and the other boys.

_9:21 AM. _The Rocque limo quickly approached the next exit to Los Angeles' massive airport. The driver put on his blinker intending to exit. As the car got closer, he saw that the ramp was closed off with orange traffic cones. There were two policewomen directing traffic away from the ramp. No cars were allowed to pass so the driver had no choice but to get back on the freeway.

As the limo passed them, the girls couldn't resist giving the boys inside a "thumbs up" sign and a big smile. They gave them a little wave as the car sped out of sight.

"Um, wow." Logan grinned.

"What's wrong, Logie?" Kendall asked, concern in his voice.

"I'm just surprised at how friendly those cops were," he chuckled. "They must be rookies!"

Carlos and James looked at each other. "Rookies!" they exclaimed in unison feigning impatience at the cops, shaking their heads.

_9:27 AM. _Because of the blocked exit ramps, the chauffer had to get off the highway and double back to LAX. He looked at his watch and sighed. He hoped that the traffic was light or else the young man in the limo was going to miss his flight. He merged into highway traffic and was immediately sorry. The vehicles on the road were traveling at a crawl. The specter of L.A. traffic reared its ugly head. He cursed under his breath. He picked up the phone to the limo's internal intercom system.

The phone in the limo's cabin beeped. With an exaggerated and perplexed look, Kendall answered the phone, raising one of his famous eyebrows. "Hello?"

The driver informed him that there was no way that they were going to make it on time for Logan's flight. The traffic was too heavy, and by the time they bypassed it, it would still be too late. The driver apologized and asked what they wanted to do.

"Stay on course, if you don't mind. I'll tell Logan. Thanks." He hung up the handset and turned to an anxiously waiting Logan.

"What is it, Kendall? What's wrong?" Logan asked, his big, brown eyes searching his boyfriend's face for a clue.

"Logie," Kendall sighed. "I'm afraid that we're too late to get to the airport on time. Since we had to avoid those exit ramps, we've come into some heavy traffic. There's no way we can make it. I'm sorry, Baby."

"What the fuck do you mean, too late! God dammit! FUCK!"

All the boys turned and stared open mouthed at the usually cheerful brunette. It was a strange sound to them when Logan let out the "f-bomb". And this time he threw out a double! It was hard for them to maintain their straight faces as each struggled to keep their serious composure.

_9:31 AM. _After trying to calm himself, Logan took in a deep breath. There had to be a way to get to Chicago. After mulling it over, he sat up straight and exclaimed, "Kelly!" He whipped out his cell phone and called her number. This pleased Kendall because that was going to be the next step in his plan anyway. To Kendall, this happy coincidence was divine providence and a sign that the gods wanted him and Logan to be together no matter where they were.

"Hello? Kelly? HELP!" Logan began to explain the situation but hysteria threatened to overtake his composure. He stopped and handed the phone to Kendall. Kendall explained the situation to Kelly and suggested a solution.

"Kelly, who do we know that has access to - I don't know - let's say, a company jet?" He paused, holding the phone away from his ear. Kelly was being LOUD! "Yeah, well, tell Gustavo that Logan's appearances will have to be cancelled as well. That won't look good for the record company if he's a no show for all those little interviews that you guys set up! A real shame." Kendall nodded as he listened to her and hung up, handing Logan his phone.

"What did she say, Kendall?" The other boys wanted to know, too. They knew that this part of the scheme was more Kendall gambling on Gustavo's willingness to cooperate than any concrete game plan. Although, they knew that the Jennifers had some role in this part of the plan but weren't sure what that was. Kendall knew but wasn't telling.

"She said the she'll call us back and let us know if we – I mean – _you_ can use the Rocque jet. That would be so cool for you!" He tried to reassure Logan by pulling him close and letting him rest his head on his shoulder. In truth, he was starting to sweat, too. _C'mon, Gustavo! C'mon Jennifers! Come through for my Logie! _

_9:43 AM. _Logan's phone rang. He looked at the Caller ID and saw that it was Gustavo's private number. Hesitantly, he answered it, his free hand taking hold of Kendall's.

"I understand, Gustavo," Logan said calmly in spite of Gustavo's irritated tone. Logan grimaced at his boss' threats.

All the boys were looking at Logan for a clue as to what Gustavo was saying to him. Kendall, especially, felt Logan's nervousness as his hand was being squeezed tighter and tighter by his brunette boy.

"Huh? Oh, okay." He looked at Kendall quizzically and handed him the phone. "Gustavo wants to talk to you. Why would he want to talk to _you_?"

Kendall shrugged his shoulders, mustering up a look of both innocence and confusion. He tried to be nonchalant as he put the phone to his ear. He swallowed hard. "Yes?"

His face was stoic as Gustavo asked him if he knew anything about Griffin's trip being bumped from the Rocque jet's flight schedule. Someone had changed the flight plan and contacted Griffin that his meeting in San Francisco was being cancelled. Griffin conveyed to Gustavo that three of the prettiest and youngest assistants he'd ever seen had come into his office and, very convincingly, passed themselves off as Rocque staff and informed the office of the change in plans. By the time they tried to verify the changes, the three girls were gone. After they followed up on the plane's status, Rocque Records had already booked it. Kendall wouldn't know anything about that, would he?

"No, Gustavo! I have noooo idea of what you speak. But since what's done is done, well…" He mentally crossed his fingers hoping for the best. A smile spread over his face. "I'll tell him. And thanks!"

Logan looked at his blonde boy with both hope and caution. "What did he say, Kendall?" Logan held his breath.

A grinning Kendall leaned in and whispered into Logan's ear, his lips tickling the smaller boy's earlobe. "He's having the jet fuelled for you, Baby. You'll get to Chicago in plenty of time!" Turning to James and Carlos, he said, "Turn around, Guys. You may not want to see this!"

Both boys let out a groan and did what they were told. They knew what was coming.

Logan wrapped his arms around Kendall's neck and gave him a slow, deep kiss. "I don't know how, but I have a sneaking suspicion that you had something to do with Gustavo letting me have the plane. Thank you so much. I'll never forget this!"

Kendall just shrugged as if he didn't know what his brainiac boyfriend was talking about. Behind Logan's head, the blonde gave the other two boys a "thumbs up". Silently, he was grateful to the Jennifers and their part in his scheme.

James and Carlos touched their wriggling fingertips together and exclaimed in high-pitched voices, "Lucky!"

_10:15 AM. _The limousine finally pulled into the private hangar that housed the Rocque jet. The boys all climbed out and went to help the driver with Logan's bags. After the ground crew took them to load into the jet's cargo hold, Logan looked around, a look of nervousness coloring his face. "Where are my project and its displays? I didn't see them."

"They'll be here, Logan. Don't stress, Bro!" Carlos pushed against Logan with his shoulder, playfully reassuring the boy.

_10:21 AM. _Freight Train's SUV pulled into the hanger, the oversized box making it impossible to close the rear hatch door.

The big man hopped out of the SUV making sure that he saw both Kendall and Logan. He'd been instructed to make absolutely sure that Kendall was in the limo before Logan took off. Gustavo wanted to make sure that there was no "funny business" going on.

_10:25 AM. _Since the ground crew had disappeared, Carlos, Kendall, Freight Train, and the limo driver unloaded the box and hauled it to the plane's cargo hold. James asked Logan to accompany him on a quest to find junk food. Reluctantly, Logan went with James. As they left, he spotted the box.

"Wow. I don't remember the crate being so big." He looked over at James who just shrugged and led the shorter boy out of the hangar area.

One of the ground crew came up behind the group that had deposited the crate in front of the plane. "We'll go head and load it in the cargo bay. It'll get plenty cold. There's no animals in there, right?"

A cautious Kendall asked, "Why? I mean, why would that matter?"

"Like I said, it'll get cold in there plus, that part of the plane is not oxygenated. A living thing would probably die before you got half way to Chicago."

Kendall tried to hide his panic. He had to think! _What can I say? What can I say?_

He looked at the man. "His project depends on his equipment and samples staying at a comfortable temperature. If things get too cold, his experiment will be compromised. Can't we just go ahead and put it in the main cabin? Maybe somewhere in the back or something?"

The ground crewman scratched his head. "Well, it's not standard procedure…"

"I'm sure your bosses won't mind. After all, Gustavo wants to get Logan to Illinois as soon as possible. The sooner we load this thing inside, the better – for all of us!"

_10:31 AM. _The guys helped the lone ground crewman load the box inside the jet's cabin. They deposited it in the rear of the plane, making sure it is secure. They exited the plane and waited for Logan and James to come back.

_10: 33 AM. _"I need to go find Logan. I have instructions to get him on the plane and to put you on the limo back to the office." He looked at Kendall when he spoke. "Nothing personal, you understand."

"I get it, Freight Train. I won't fight you." _I won't need to! _He smiled a sweet smile as he nudged Carlos feeling the bulge in the shorter boy's back pocket.

"Oh!" the Latino exclaimed. "What is that sound?" A buzzing sound was heard by everyone. It was getting louder and louder. "What is_ that?_"He pointed to somewhere in space ahead of them as the buzzing reached a crescendo. "Oh crap! BEES!"

He started slapping himself as if he were being attacked, yelling loudly. Kendall feigned fear and also started slapping himself on the arms and neck and taking swipes in the air. "I see them! They're coming!"

The ground crewman ran out of the hangar both to try to get help and to get away from the flying menace. He had a fear of bees. He'd been talking about the pests with a longhaired guy who'd smoked a joint with him the day before. _Life is filled with coincidences! _

The limo driver hurriedly went back in the car. He had a sneaking suspicion that there was something amiss, but they didn't pay him to baby sit. He was paid to drive and that's it. _This isn't my problem._

Kendall knew that Freight Train was allergic to bee stings. He'd talked to the big bodyguard enough times that he knew some personal stuff about him. "OUCH!" he yelled. "I think I got stung!" Kendall put on a mask of fear and directed his look at the big man.

"D-don't say that! I'm allergic! I'll blow up like a balloon! Get them away from me! Get them away!" Freight Train didn't see them but he still heard the buzzing sound. He walked to the limo to try to get away from the swarm when he looked down and saw two miniature speakers hooked up to Carlos' player halfway hidden behind the limo's rear wheel. He bent down to pick it up. That's when he felt the sharp sting on his ample behind. "Damn! What the - ?" He couldn't even finish his thought. He felt dizzy and fell over fast asleep.

Kendall looked over at a grinning Carlos, a dart gun in his hand.

"Good shot, Bro! Tell your Dad thanks for the use of his tranquilizer gun." He walked to his friend and gave him a high five.

The aircraft's pilots entered the hangar at that precise moment and saw the large form lying on the concrete floor.

"He's scared to fly," Kendall offered. "Can you help us get him into the plane? I'd really appreciate it!"

The pilots both shrugged and each took an arm. Carlos and Kendall each took a leg. Between all of them, they seated the big man and fastened his seat belt, which prevented him from falling over. After the boys thanked them, the men went into the cockpit and closed the cabin door.

_10:45 AM. _James and Logan came back into the hangar. They looked around and saw that there was no one waiting for them. A confused look spread over Logan's face.

"Where is everyone, Dude?" he asked James. James just shook his head, indicating that he had no idea.

Carlos peeked his head out of the limo's sunroof. He waved at his friends. "Hey! What's up?"

The boys on the floor smiled at their friend. They watched as the shorter boy hopped out of the car and made his way to join them.

Logan asked him, "Where's Kendall? Is he in the car with you?"

Carlos feigned a sad face. "Gustavo called and said he needed Kendall for a new project. He took a taxi and went back to the studio. He said to tell you 'bye' and that he'd call you later in the day. And he told me to give you, um, to give you this."

He grimaced as he gave Logan a peck on the cheek, wiping his lips with the back of his hand.

Logan looked at his buddy incredulously. "Kendall's _gone_?" A sad and disappointed expression was painfully evident on his face. The other boys gave him a sympathetic look.

Carlos felt his friend's pain and couldn't contain himself. "Logan, there's something that I have to tell you! The truth is – "

"Carlitos!" James exclaimed, cutting him off. "We need to go. Gustavo's gonna kill us if we drag our asses in returning to the studio." Turning to Logan, he told him, "Have a great flight and call us when you win the competition!" He gave Logan a fist bump and opened the door. He was gently pushing Carlos toward the open car door. "Come on!"

"Bye, Logie. I can't wait to see the trophy you get." He gave Logan a half hug and entered the limo, a relieved James following close behind. He had to make sure that his friend didn't say anything else to Logan. He'd almost spilled the beans.

_10:58 AM._ Logan entered the plane and sat down on one of the soft, comfortable seats. The phone next to him buzzed. The pilot said that they were ready to go. Logan thanked him and hung up the handset. After a few moments, Logan felt the jet lurch and was soon taxiing its way to the runway.

_He didn't say good-bye. _Logan was hurt. _He could've said good-bye! _He drew a deep breath and sighed loudly.

_11:19 AM. _Logan was relieved that they were on their way, the big private jet barreling its way faster and faster down the runway. At least this part of his day was going well. He looked across the cabin surprised that he hadn't noticed a sleeping Freight Train sitting strapped into his seat.

_12:28 PM. _Logan caught himself dozing off. He looked around and saw that Freight Train was still sleeping and hadn't changed his position. Curious, Logan undid his seatbelt and walked over to the big man. He bent down close to his face. "Freight Train? Are you okay?"

There was no response from the bodyguard. Logan was about to shake his colleague when he heard a noise coming from the back of the cabin. He left the sleeping man and made his way to the rear of the plane and saw the big box labeled **Logan's Project**. He heard a soft thumping sound and grew worried. He hoped that during the takeoff, his equipment hadn't shifted. He'd hate to find broken pieces at the competition since there wouldn't be time to fix any major problems on the fly.

"Dammit!" he exclaimed to the top of the box, which wouldn't budge when he tried to open it. Frustrated, he continued. "First Kendall, now this stupid crate!" He firmly gripped the box's lid again and was determined to open it. "Open up, you son – of – a – bitch!" He felt the lid give way a little too easily and he nearly stumbled backward. He caught his balance on the back of the seat behind him. He was astonished as he saw the top slowly open itself.

"Do you mind if I join you?" a grinning, shirtless Kendall asked as he lifted the lid and climbed out of the hot, confined space.

Logan's mouth was open, his eyes wide in surprise. He felt happy and a little ashamed that he thought that Kendall would ever leave without saying good-bye to him. He let out a pleased squeal and threw himself against his boyfriend's hot, dewy body. He grabbed a handful of the taller boy's hair and pulled his face towards his. Kendall allowed his lover's tongue to express how he felt about the situation. Judging from Logan's deep kiss, he was betting that his boy was very happy to see him.

They broke their kiss and smiled at each other. Suddenly, Logan punched Kendall playfully on the stomach. "You little shit! Why the hell didn't you let me in on the plan? I could've helped you!" Absent mindedly, Logan caressed the place on Kendall's stomach where he'd punched him, unconsciously trying to soothe him.

"Ow! Haha! Well, like Kelly, you are also a horrible faker/crying/liar actor. I just wanted you to act naturally." Kendall put on the perfect pouty face for his boyfriend. "I'm sorry," his big eyes begging for forgiveness – forgiveness that he knew would be coming his way soon.

Logan planted a kiss on Kendall's neck, his pulse beating against the brunette's wet lips. He looked into the blonde boy's impossibly green eyes. "I guess I can forgive you. But, one other thing, where is your shirt?"

Kendall hooked a thumb toward the crate. "It's freaking _hot_ in there! I had to cool off somehow. But I had to wait until an hour into the flight before I came out so we wouldn't be able to turn back. I think the plane is committed now. Yay!" He hugged Logan tight.

"C'mon!" Logan commanded. "It's way too cold in here. See?" He demonstrated by softly pinching Kendall's hardened pink nipple. "Soooo cold!" He bent over and licked it, making it wet – and really cold! He felt Kendall shiver under his touch. "Let's just sit and cuddle." Logan's happy grin melted his boyfriend's heart.

Kendall allowed Logan to lead him to the oversized seat. Logan reached under the seat and got a plush blanket that covered them both. They got comfortable in each other's arms, the warmth and closeness comforting them both. After a short time, the boys found themselves dozing off.

_1:14 PM. _"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhh!" Freight Train awoke with a start. "Noooooooooooooo!" He'd just opened his eyes and knew that he would be in hot water back at the studio. There were only two things that he was supposed to do: Get Logan on the jet _and _get Kendall on the limo back to the office. Earlier, Gustavo had told him that, "Kendall Knight will not be going to Chicago. Over my dead, decomposing carcass! It is up to _you_ to make sure that doesn't happen – or else!"

The bodyguard opened his cell phone to call Gustavo. He was dreading the call. He dialed the number and waited for his boss to answer. After a few rings, Gustavo's voice answered. The big man explained what had happened and how sorry he was for failing. Expecting the worst, he pulled the phone away from his ear. He was right.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" It's as if Gustavo was in the flight cabin with him, his booming voice making his presence known. After a few moments of silence, a calm, Zen-like Gustavo uttered only three words: "Okay, then. Fine." And he was gone. Freight Train breathed a sigh of relief. He looked over at the sleeping boys and chuckled.

"Lucky sons of bitches! Both of you!" he whispered. He shook his head and repeated, "Lucky sons of bitches!" He took his seat and decided to join the boys in LaLa land, the dread and nervousness draining from the bodyguard's body as his eyelids closed and darkness enveloped him.


	4. The Result

**Chicago Bound**

After they'd arrived in Chicago, a van waited for Logan's experiment crate and displays. Freight Train took care of the loading process and sent the boys inside the van to wait.

Once inside, Logan turned to Kendall, uncontrolled giddiness in his voice. "Can you believe we're here?" His smile shined like the sun.

Kendall chuckled at his boyfriend's enthusiasm. "I know. It's a trip, huh?" He took Logan's hand and kissed it.

The loud thud of the van's rear door indicated that they were ready to go to the competition site. Freight Train got in the front seat next to the driver and told the man to go. Soon they were pulling out of O'Hare Airport's traffic. They only had a few hours before the main event was to commence.

The ride into the city was visually eye opening. They were used to the slow traffic of Los Angeles and were impressed with the fast flow of cars that moved effortlessly around them. The van took an exit that led it further into the city. As they were heading up one of the taller off-ramps, Logan excitedly nudged Kendall and pointed to the skyline. Even from this distance, he could see the black behemoth that dominated the cityscape.

"Look, Bro!" he exclaimed to the blonde. "It's the Sears Tower!"

Kendall leaned over Logan and looked out of his brunette's window using the opportunity to move closer to him. He glanced out the window and was impressed with the architectural marvel. However, he was more impressed with the marvel that he held close to him. He looked down at his love and smiled at him, realizing that Logan had been looking at him as he'd gazed at the city. A knowing chuckled escaped him.

"What's so funny?" Logan asked with a smile. He knew he'd been busted. He couldn't help it. The sight of Kendall's jaw line so close to him made him want to reach out and kiss it. He held back only because Freight Train and the driver were in the van.

"_You_ are, my brilliant Baby." He knew that Logan was more self-conscious than him so he wouldn't dare show Kendall what he wanted to do. Kendall, however, was not as shy. He gathered a still smiling Logan into his arms and kissed his boyfriend's waiting mouth. The taste of the brunette made him want more. An uncomfortable stirring in his pants made him aware that he wanted more – _a lot_ more.

"Ahem!" Freight Train cleared his throat. The van's windows weren't tinted so he was concerned that fans or paparazzi could snap a compromising picture of the boys. The guys were told that he'd been assigned to them for their security. That was only a half-truth. Gustavo wanted him to keep an eye out for excessive PDA's and to intervene in case they became too obvious in public. He hated that part of his ongoing assignment. He felt that the boys should be who they are and not hide it from the world. But, he wasn't in charge so all he could do was follow his standing orders.

Both boys sheepishly pulled back from each other but they continued to hold hands. No one was going to pry them apart completely. The fact that Kendall was in Chicago was testament to that.

They left the highway and rode into the streets of the city. The traffic was slow moving on the surface streets, cars bumper to bumper as far as the eye could see. But the pavement also bustled with life. There was a ton of people just walking up and down the wide sidewalks on either side of their slow moving van. People passed by dilapidated houses, many with postage stamp sized yards. There were many tiny, narrow alleys that punctuated the street's layout, seemingly capable of transporting any pedestrian to any point in the city. The iron bars on the windows of the neighborhood stores along with the multi-colored graffiti on all the walls that dared face the streets heightened the feeling of "big city urban".

The van carrying the boys turned left. Kendall nudged Logan when he saw a big white house with electric pink trim sitting in the midst of other unkempt dwellings, looking out of place. "That's gonna be our house's color scheme one day!" he teased.

A giggle escaped Logan at the thought. And he always felt wonderful inside whenever Kendall mentioned their future together. If Kendall wanted a white house with pink trim, then that's what they would have. He didn't care where they lived as long as they were together. Though they would have to have a color scheme discussion at some point.

After the walking thick crowds of mostly minority faces seemed to thin out, the boys noticed that the road was getting smaller. They passed a large gate and found themselves on the manicured grounds of the Prosser Academy, the site of the upcoming Rube competition. The school grounds contrasted with its surroundings. The pristine look of the school showed that the community was proud of the fact that there was a nationally recognized Academy in the midst of the economically challenged part of the city.

Pulling up to the main auditorium, Freight Train and the boys quickly unloaded their items and walked inside. They were quickly met with one of the competition's organizers and told where to set up their displays.

The next couple of hours were a nightmare for the young celebrity. He was nervous enough waiting his turn with the judges. But, in addition, he was interrupted a few times when some of the students recognized who he was and asked for his autograph. Kendall snickered at his boyfriend until one of the fans noticed Kendall's presence, too. The excited teens started to crowd around him as well.

Turning to Logan with a half grin, he told him, "I'm endangering the mission. Maybe I shouldn't have come!" Logan immediately recognized the Star Wars reference and giggled at him, grateful that he could break the tension for him.

"I have a bad feeling about this!" he answered, laughing out loud as he threw out some movie dialogue of his own.

Just then, Freight Train and a couple of the security guards on hand came up behind the boys and made a space between them and the growing crowd. "Okay people! Step back, please!" Freight Train yelled. "We are here as competitors so please give Logan room to work. You can see him and Kendall after the competition. Thank you for your cooperation!"

The crowd started to break up, though their eyes were still on the boys, capturing their every move. The boys could see several cameras and cell phones pointed at them as Logan continued to tinker with his machine, ensuring the contraption's workability.

After what seemed to be an eternity, the judges were finally in front of him and his machine. Logan noticed that the people crowding around to watch had grown in front of his display as they all eagerly waited for him to start his brief oral presentation explaining how the machine would work and what the final outcome would be. He smiled sweetly at the judges as he finished speaking. Clipboards in hand, the serious looking panel walked around his contraption, leaning in to look at certain parts, and jotting down notes.

"You may begin, young man," the man who looked like the head judge, said.

Logan nodded his head at him and turned the key until he heard a quiet "click". His mechanical amalgam started to come to life as more "clicks" and "whirrs" could be heard emanating from his box. The sides of the box slowly fell away to reveal the inner mechanics. Inside, the crowd could see the inner workings as a metal ball rolled around and around a track, triggering little actions along the way: a top was spinning, a bell rang, a mini-flag was raised, a Nerf missile was launched, and on and on until, at the end of the run, water was released from a built-in container that let a trickle fall into a potted plant.

The people present clapped as Logan's creation fell silent, its mission accomplished. A beaming Logan waved at the crowd, a little embarrassed at the attention. He breathed a quiet sigh of relief as he felt a familiar arm drape itself possessively around his shoulders.

"Good job!" Kendall told him excitedly. "I am so proud of you." His arm tightened slightly around his brunette brainiac. He was a little disappointed that a few people still lingered around them since all he wanted to do was take his boyfriend in his arms and kiss him repeatedly and passionately.

"I'm thirsty," Logan told his beaming blonde god. _Why do I get so weak when he smiles at me with those dimples? _Even in competition, thoughts of Kendall filled his mind. He laughed at the ridiculousness of it.

"Let's go find a sody or something." Kendall turned to face their bodyguard. "Hey, Freight Train? We're going on a Coke run. Want one?"

Logan saw that the big man was going to protest but he stopped him. "Nothing will happen, Big Man! I saw a soda machine as we entered the building. We'll go there and come straight back, I promise." He crossed his heart for emphasis. "Could you watch my stuff while we're gone?"

Reluctantly, Freight Train agreed. He knew that he should've been the one to go grab sodas, but he wanted the boys to experience high school life as normal teens, even if it was just for a few moments.

After a while, the boys came back, sodas in hand, while the panel of judges convened on the stage to get ready to announce the results of the competition. For a few moments, the people in the auditorium forgot about the celebrity contestant as they waited for the announcement of the winning entry. To an outsider, the boys were just two faces in the crowd, waiting for news like everyone else.

Logan's pulse picked up as he waited for the final announcement. He felt Kendall's hand slide into his, gripping it gently. The nervous boy looked up at the face of his knight who shared his butterflies. The nerves showed on the fair-haired boy's face since what was important to Logan, was also important to him.

"Ladies and Gentlemen!" All eyes went to the stage, except for Logan's. "The winner of the 2011 Rube Goldberg Competition is…"

Suddenly, with Kendall's hand in his, Logan didn't need the prize. He had his own prize standing next to him. He was already a winner in all that mattered. He _felt_ like a winner. Kendall's love and support was a daily affirmation of that.

"This is exciting!" Kendall whispered to him, not taking his eyes off the judges, squeezing his hand once.

"Yes," Logan whispered back, not taking his eyes from Kendall's perfect profile. "It certainly is, Baby. It certainly is!"

End

**Author's Note: **First, let me apologize for the lateness of the final part of this story. I have no excuse other than the Mardi Gras and St. Patrick's Day celebrations and parties that I had the privilege to attend this year. They took a toll! But I wouldn't leave anyone hanging. Of this, I promise!

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all those who followed the narrative and added me to their Alerts and Faves. Thank you, also, for those who posted reviews and sent PM's directly to me. All the love is very much appreciated! (Yes, that means you, _**gleechild**_!)

I would like to give a special thanks to the person who actually traveled to the real Prosser Academy for the actual 2011 Rube Goldberg Machine Competition in Chicago this year. After he told me what he was doing, I immediately thought of what Logan would've done if he'd had the privilege of attending a competition of this sort. My deepest gratitude goes out to my Lil Bro, _**The Doctor Is Out**_. Not only is he a great friend and an inspiration but, he helped me with some of the descriptive passages and imagery found in the text. I'd also like to recommend his Kogan offerings on this site. Everyone should check those out if they haven't already!

Thanks again and I'll see everyone soon!

_Manny 101 _

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Big Time Rush or any of its members. Darn it! All copyrights and trademarks of Rube Goldberg, Inc. and the Prosser Career Academy are exclusively theirs.


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